Which stitches do you have to reinforce at the beginning and end for? I want to use a zig zag stitch specifically, but I'm curious in general which stitches to reinforce. I know you have to reinforce straight stitches unless you're basting.

It depends on where the stitching is & what its doing. When I do the side seam on a girls dress, I don't bother to reinforce because the bottom will be hemmed and the top (armpit area) will be attatched to a sleeve or facing. The crossing stitches will do all the extra holding needed.

When I sew the crotch of pants I always run a second row of stitches parallel to the first because the seam gets a lot of stress.

EDIT: What I wanted to do with the zig zag stitch was applique work. Would that need some reinforcing? Most likely, I'd work in a closed shape, as in, I'd start at one point, go around some curves and whatnot, and return to the starting point.

I suppose I would just need to worry about reinforcing the very end since I'd be going back to where I started.

EDIT: What I wanted to do with the zig zag stitch was applique work. Would that need some reinforcing? Most likely, I'd work in a closed shape, as in, I'd start at one point, go around some curves and whatnot, and return to the starting point.

I suppose I would just need to worry about reinforcing the very end since I'd be going back to where I started.

When I do "satin stitch applique" I reinforce or rather lock the threads in by sewing about 4 or 5 times in almost exactly the same spot. I set my straight stitch to stitch length just above zero and move the needle over to the right so that it would be sewing right where the right swing on the zigzag is. The I start with that straight stitch (4 or 5 stitches) then switch to the zigzag/satin and sew that part, then end by switching to the straight stitch again.

Another option is to leave long thread tails and pull them to the back and tie in a knot. I don't like the usually backstitch for applique because it causes the beginning/ending to have denser/thincker stitching.

Thanks for the tip everyone! I was reading some of the project ideas that came with my singer, and one of the projects had an applique set of directions. The directions said to lock the stitches, use a straight stitch with a length of 0 0r 1, I forget which. It's like what you said, elijor!

But, there are extra things that I need to have to applique. Apparently, I should use a tear away stabilizer and a special applique presser fot that allows the satin stitches to pass through with any snagging... looks like more things to buy!

Apparently, I should use a tear away stabilizer and a special applique presser fot that allows the satin stitches to pass through with any snagging... looks like more things to buy!

Stabilizer will help to make sure the stitching stays smooth. In a pinch you can use paper - tissue paper is sometimes stiff enough, recycled paper (think newspaper quality without the print of course - it will rub off onto the fabric), the "big red tablet" for kids to learn to print. Sometimes if the fabric isn't too thin just heavy duty spray starch ironed on will work also. You should always test sew anytime you are using a new fabric to see what works.

Sometimes it helps to loosen the top tension on the machine a little bit.

The applique foot will make things smoother as well but you can do it with your "regular" presser foot as well. If the satin stitch is really, really close together it can get a little thick an might not feed as smoothly but that is kinda unlikely.

Getting those things are great but you might as well play around and see how what you already have works while you wait.

Stabilizer will help to make sure the stitching stays smooth. In a pinch you can use paper - tissue paper is sometimes stiff enough, recycled paper (think newspaper quality without the print of course - it will rub off onto the fabric), the "big red tablet" for kids to learn to print. Sometimes if the fabric isn't too thin just heavy duty spray starch ironed on will work also. You should always test sew anytime you are using a new fabric to see what works.

Sometimes it helps to loosen the top tension on the machine a little bit.

The applique foot will make things smoother as well but you can do it with your "regular" presser foot as well. If the satin stitch is really, really close together it can get a little thick an might not feed as smoothly but that is kinda unlikely.

Getting those things are great but you might as well play around and see how what you already have works while you wait.

Yes, it seems like I always find more information than what I thought I needed to be able to do things. I'll get these things while I'm at JoAnn's this week. I have to get a twin needle anyway to be able to sew knit fabric (which I already made a tank top prior to finding out this information )